Blue Rose Blues
by Captain of Azoren
Summary: Spin off to White Knight, Red Queen. Soren contracts the dreaded Hanahaki disease and desperately tries to figure out what is going on as he coughs up flower petals.


Claudia was in the palace's library, studying a strand of flying bison fur under a magnifying glass. Suddenly, the door burst open and Soren stepped in, a look of panic on his face.

"Claudia, I need your help!" Soren shouted, his voice echoing through the shelves of scrolls. Claudia jumped out of her seat and spun around to face her brother. She saw a blue flower petal sticking out of his mouth and raised an eyebrow.

"Soren, what's wrong?" Claudia asked. Soren spat the petal out of his mouth and it drifted down to the floor.

"I don't know I just started coughing up flower petals!" Soren rambled, then coughed up a few more petals. "Claudia, you gotta do something!"

Claudia knelt down to pick up a petal. She held it in front of her magnifying glass to examine it, unfazed by Soren's saliva all over it.

"Looks like a petal from a blue rose," Claudia observed. "Interesting…we have them back home in Katolis, but I don't think blue roses grow in the Fire Nation."

"I don't need to know what it is Claudia, I need it to stop," Soren replied impatiently. "Can't you just use a healing spell on me or something?"

"I need to know what the problem is first, Soren," Claudia said back, audibly annoyed. "There isn't just one spell that cures everything, especially not a disease like this." Claudia placed a hand on Soren's shoulder to calm him down. "Maybe someone here knows what it is? Try asking around."

Soren sighed in resignation, then coughed up a few more petals. This was an awful time to get a weird flower disease. He had been trying and failing to get Azula's attention and spend time with her without actually asking her out on a date. The princess was no average girl, Just asking Azula out would look pathetic and desperate! No, he had to play it cool, and coughing up petals was decidedly _not cool._ Soren had to hide it until this was fixed.

"Okay, just don't mention anything to Azula, I need her to think I'm cool and not weird."

"Whatever, my lips are sealed," Claudia said. "Anyway, I'll see if there's any medical records. Just drink some tea and try to tough it out in the meantime."

The sorceress rummaged through scrolls as Soren left the library. This was utterly embarrassing. Soren needed to find someone who was quiet, and good at keeping secrets. That's when it hit him.

"Zuko!" Soren shouted across the training yard at the prince, who was in the middle of a sword kata. Zuko's concentration was broken and he fumbled with his swords. Zuko growled in frustration before calming himself and turning to the taller boy.

"What is it Sooorrreeeen…why are you eating flowers?" Zuko asked when he saw the blue petals sticking out from Soren's lips. The Katolian boy spat them out.

"I'm not eating them, they're just coming out of my mouth," Soren explained. "It started up this morning and I need to stop it. Is this some kind of Fire Nation disease?"

"Mmm…maybe…" Zuko answered to Soren's discomfort. "I remember hearing some old story about something called Hanahaki disease."

"Hanawhat now?" Soren asked blinking, and coughed up a petal.

"Hanahaki disease is when you start coughing up flowers, like they're growing in your throat," Zuko explained. "It's not like a real disease though, it's supposed to be an old spirit tale. Something about love."

"Oh, that's just great," Soren groaned and crossed his arms. "Uhg, this is _so _not cool. You don't know anything else?"

"Uhhh…you might die?" Zuko said with a shrug. Soren glared furiously at the prince.

"I'm gonna _die_?!" Soren shouted, causing the birds in the nearby trees to take flight. "That is double uncool." Soren ran his fingers through his hair as he started coughing up more flower. "Aw man *_cough_* I need to get cured quick."

"Why don't you ask Ty Lee?" Zuko suggested, hoping Soren would take the hint and leave. "She's into that sort of stuff. I think she's here today."

Soren groaned and chewed on a petal. Where there was Ty Lee there was Azula. "Nnnn, fine." The blond boy left Zuko to his katas and began his search for Ty Lee, trying to figure out the best way to hide his affliction should Azula be with her. Sure enough, he found Ty Lee in the royal spa…chatting with Azula as they were getting manicures.

Soren felt a sudden wave of uncomfortable as he realized how little he belonged here. Everything about the spa was so girly and he wasn't. Maybe he should should just wait until the-

"Hey Soren!" Ty Lee greeted as soon as she saw him spying from around the door frame. Soren ducked his head away to cough up a petal and wipe his mouth before turning back and grinning nervously at the acrobat and the princess.

"Heeeeey Ty Lee, Princess Azula," Soren said as he walked in, keeping his teeth clenched. "Just thought I'd stop by to, uh, get a facial! Yeah…"

Azula gave him a cold stare, bemused by Soren's intrusion, but said nothing. Ty Lee just grinned back at him.

"Well you hardly need it, your skin's pretty smooth." Ty Lee said and gave Soren's cheek a little poke. Soren blushed nervously, and had to stifle a cough. He could feel the petals on his tongue and quickly swallowed it.

"Because I'm always getting facials, of course!" Soren said, trying to cover himself. Azula gave a sigh of annoyance. The servant tending to her nails finished, and Azula stood up.

"Perfect timing. The atmosphere in her just had a sudden drop in quality." Azula gave Ty Lee and Soren a blithe wave as she left. Soren and Ty Lee waved back, the Katolian boy forcing himself to hold his expression and clench his teeth, eyes watering as a fit of coughs overcame him.

Once Azula was gone, Soren rushed over to the fountain where hair treatment was done. He opened his mouth to spit out a huge wad of blue petals into the water, making the spa servants shriek in disgust. Ty Lee peered over as Soren groaned and wiped his mouth. The circus girl clasped her hands and gasped with excitement as her eyes lit up.

"Oh spirits, you've got Hanahaki disease!" Ty Lee shouted as she leaped from her chair and hopped over to pat Soren's back. "So, who's the lucky guy or girl?"

"Wha? What do you mean?" Soren asked, his throat feeling sore and scratchy.

"Oh, I guess you don't know," Ty Lee said. "Hanahaki disease is caused by unrequited love, Soren."

"I'm coughing up flowers because I love someone who doesn't love me back?" Soren asked, and Ty Lee nodded.

"Yeah. Folk tales say it's placed on the victim by the spirit of a florist who died while longing for love. How romantic…" Ty Lee said wistfully. Soren frowned and coughed.

"But everyone loves me, I'm Soren!" The boy protested. "How could anyone not love a guy this buff and handsome."

"It's got to be true, romantic love," Ty Lee continued. "And the only way to get rid of the disease is for the person _you _love to reciprocate."

"But I don't even know who that…" Soren stopped short. His gaze went over to the chair Azula had been sitting in, then to the doorway she had exited through. Soren's brow furrowed in contemplation for a moment. "Oh…oh no…"

With a loud hack, Soren coughed up one entire blossom of a blue rose, like a little blue flame in his hand.


End file.
